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Medics doubt benefits of presumed consent

Experts followed the decision that presumed consent is not the way to improve organ donation at a meeting in Edinburgh on Monday.

Medical experts from the main transplant specialties in the UK joined in the debate for and against the introduction of presumed consent while considering other possible solutions.

The meeting was organised by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.

Doctor Stuart Rodger from the RCPE said: “Scotland is facing a major crisis in terms of a shortfall of suitable organ donors, but the evidence that presumed consent will increase organ donation is not persuasive. There are other things that should be done first.”

Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing Nicola Sturgeon opened the event and said she was unconvinced that the public are ready to accept such a change.

Dr Rodger said: "Introducing presumed consent system would be very expensive. It would involve legislation, and a lot of notification to the general population.”

“Increasing the number of co-ordinators and strengthening the network of organ retrieval teams are considered to be the better ways to face organ shortage," he added.

Presumed consent was proposed by the UK organ taskforce in January, by which suitable organs would be collected from recently deceased patients unless a patient had chosen to opt out of the system.

20 June 2008>>